Expert warnings over failure of rehab for rapists were ignored

Stuart Hall, the former BBC broadcaster, is believed to have taken the rehabilitation programmeWARREN SMITH

Whistleblowers were intimidated and discredited by the authorities if they raised concerns about a failed sex offender treatment programme that left rapists and paedophiles more likely to reoffend, The Times has been told.

The government was repeatedly warned about flaws in its rehabilitation approach but did not take action until March, when it abruptly scrapped the main prison treatment programme after research found that it made inmates more dangerous.

Experts told The Times that they had raised concerns about the efficacy of the sexual offenders treatment programme (SOTP) as long ago as 2003 but they were ignored.

Robert Forde, a psychologist who repeatedly raised concerns about the effectiveness of the cognitive behaviour therapy approach said he was subjected to a string of complaints by officials…

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